Art, culture, food and more in Italy in general and Bologna in particular

Category: palazzi

It’s Monday. Let’s ease into the week with a simple photo comparison of architecture in Florence. I snapped both of these not far from each other, yet they cover various ends of the spectrum. One is grand and well-maintained, with strong rustication and a harmony of pilasters and windows. The other is more rustic and time-worn, yet with an undeniable beauty. Both are evocative backdrops … Continue reading Variations on Florentine Architecture

Beware all ye who enter the Palazzo dei Bargellini. Two giants stand before you, guarding the entrance. Well, really they’re not so much guarding as having a bit of a pose-off. But they are huge! Obviously, these two figures stand out and when I saw a photo of them earlier this year, I knew I had to see them for myself. However, they became yet … Continue reading Giants Guarding the Door

I may be a bit biased, but I think of my dog Charlie as a work of art. He’s a beauty, not a beast. He’s very friendly and curious and loves going on walks around the city. While we were out the other day, we stopped for a break in the outer garden/courtyard of the Palazzo Comunale. Charlie was happy to sit in the sun … Continue reading The Art of Dogs

This probably applies to a lot of Italian cities, to be honest, but one of my favorite things is to walk down a narrow street and spot a fantastic building at the end. Graffiti and posters on each side of you and straight ahead, a rather grand building. And are those papal symbols I see on it with the triple crown and keys? Continue reading Bologna Surprises

Ok, so technically the #DolceVitaBloggers theme for January is your favorite Italian city. Singular. But how do you choose? Even if you’ve only been to a handful? Before living here, I would have probably said Florence. As someone who studied art history and fell in love with the Italian Renaissance, it’s kind of hard not to love Florence. It was such an important city during … Continue reading My Favorite Italian Cities #DolceVitaBloggers

In looking for photos for the next #DolceVitaBloggers linkup tomorrow, I ended up looking at some of my photos of Venice. That’s when I realized that that visit was 16 years ago today. We had gone to Venice for the day, not really thinking that the day was a holiday (Epiphany/Befana). As a result, many shops and restaurants were closed. One restaurant, in particular, that … Continue reading Dreams of Venice

With every move, the bulk of my boxes contain books. Books make me happy. Just looking at them all lined and stacked up in my own personal library is like looking at old photos. There are so many memories tied up in the books that have made the move with me. And for every book that didn’t make the move, it feels like a loss, … Continue reading Biblioteca Salaborsa: An Exchange of Knowledge